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Hi,
Filipino athletes are known for being quick and sturdy. What they lack in height, they make up for in speed and tenacity. They move swiftly and with grace and strive for focus and precision in movement.
They are born tacticians, who carefully calculate speed, motion, force and space to determine the target. Although not as disciplined or as scientific as western athletes, they have agility to compensate.
When lacking in experience and training, they have their loved ones to inspire them. They fight like they dance, to the tune of their avid and ever loyal Filipino fans who shout like a harmonic orchestra. Hooray! What a sight to behold a Filipino being crowned as a champion!
Athletics Champions
Athletics has produced a number of gold medals for the Philippines in the Far Eastern Games before the war. It also gave the country two bronze medals in the Olympics and 11 gold medals in the Asian Games.
In the 1920s, two Filipinos were among the world's fastest men. In the 1930s, a Filipino was considered Asia's best athlete. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Filipino women were among the fastest in Asia.
Simeon Toribio
Simeon Toribio, the pride of Zamboanga, was considered the "Filipino Field Athlete of the Half Century" and "Asia's Best Athlete" for winning gold medals in the high jump event in the Far Eastern Olympics in 1921, 1923, 1927, 1930 and 1934 and a bronze medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
According to author Jorge Afable, Toribio could have won the gold medal, if not only for the "call of nature." It was a grueling four-hour competition to jump over the bar raised at 6 feet and six inches high. Toribio, who once made the jump, failed to overcome it the second time because he was distressed by call of nature. Before this, Toribio narrowly missed the bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
In 1930, Toribio was awarded the Helms World Trophy for being Asia's greatest athlete. He became a lawyer and a congressman representing Bohol province where he later settled.
Miguel White
Miguel White, a former army officer with an American father, represented the Philippines in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he must have met American track and field legend Jesse Owens. White brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles event.
Nepomuceno and Catalon
Two Filipinos - David Nepomuceno and Fortunato Catalon - were considered world-class sprinters in the 1920s. The two, rivals in the local scene, have hauled gold medals from the Far Eastern Games.
In 1924, Nepomuceno represented the Philippines in the Paris Olympiad where he ran the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds and was clocked 22.5 seconds in the 200-meter dash. In 1925, Nepomuceno ran the 100 meters in only two-tenths of a second short of the world record then.
Meanwhile, Charles Paddock, the fastest man in the 1920s, in a visit to the Philippines, described Fortunato Catalon as your "champion of champions".
Andres Franco
Andres Franco won a gold medal in the high jump event at the 1951 New Delhi Asiad and a bronze medal in the same event at the 1954 Manila Asiad.
Other Male Sprinters
Genaro Cabrera, who finished the 100-meter race in 10.7 seconds, won the silver medal at the 1954 Manila Asiad. Isaac Gomez won a bronze in the same event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad while Rogelio Onofre added another bronze at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Enrique Bautista also clinched the bronze in the 200-meter dash at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. In the 400-meter race, Pablo Somblingo won the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and Isidro del Prado also got the silver at the 1986 Seoul Asiad.
Lydia De Vega
Lydia de Vega-Mercado was considered Asia's fastest woman in the 1980s. As Asia's sprint queen, she ran away with the gold medal in the 100-meter dash in the 1982 New Delhi Asiad and duplicated the feat in the 1986 Seoul Asiad where she was clocked 11.53 seconds. She also brought home a silver medal in the 200-meter race from the 1986 Seoul Asiad. De Vega now serves as a councilor of her native Meycauayan town in Bulacan province.
Mona Sulaiman
Before Lydia de Vega entered the scene, there was Mona Sulaiman, a Mindanao-born sprinter who was declared Asia's fastest woman when she won two gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. She finished the 100-meter race in 11.93 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners and the 200-meter sprint in 24.63 seconds ahead of a Japanese and a Sri Lankan. She also won a bronze in shot put event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad.
Inocencia Solis
Inocencia Solis was declared the fastest women in All of Asia in 1958 when she finished the 100-meter sprint in 12.5 seconds ahead of two Japanese runners in the Tokyo Asian Games. Before this, she won the bronze medal in the 200-meter dash event at the 1954 Manila Asiad. She was from Iloilo City.
Amelita Alanes
Amelita Alanes won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad.
Rogelia Ferrer
Rogelia Ferrer, a hurdler, was an Asian Games medallist in the 1950s. Ferrer was born in Negros Occidental province.
Lolita Lagrosas
Lolita Lagrosas had collected a total of five Asiad medals. She won the silver medals in women's high jump event at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1966 Bangkok Asiad and the bronze in the same event at the 1970 Bangkok Asiad. She clinched the bronze medals in pentathlon at the 1966 and 1970 Bangkok Asiads.
Visitacion Badana
Visitacion Badana brought home the gold medal in the long jump event from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad.
Josephine dela Vina
Josephine dela Vina clinched the gold medal in the discuss throw event at the 1966 Bangkok Asiad. Before this, she won the bronze in the same event at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad.
Elma Muros
Elma Muros-Posadas, a sprinter, hurdler and long jumper, has collected a total of 13 gold medals from her numerous stints at the Southeast Asian Games. She also brought home a bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles from the 1990 Beijing Asiad and another bronze in long jump from the 1994 Hiroshima Asiad.
Relay Champions
The Philippine men's team won the gold medals in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad and 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the bronze medals in 1951, 1954 and 1966. In the 4 x 400 meter relay, the Philippine men's team won bronze in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1986.
Meanwhile, the Philippine women's team won the gold medal in the 4 X 100 meter relay at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad and the silver at the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. It won the bronze medals at the 1954 Manila Asiad and at the 1978 Bangkok Asiad.
Other Track and Field Stars
Among other athletes who have rewarded the country with honor by their sterling performance in track and field are Aurelio Amante, Leopoldo Anillo, Marcelina Alonzo, Roberta Anore, Jovencio Ardina, Erasma Arellano, Gaspar Azares, Visitacion Badana, Lerma Balauitan Ciriaco Baronda, Hector Begeo, Tomas Bennet, Eduardo Buenavista, Manolita Cinco, Artemio Cortez, and Isabel Cruz;
Eusebio Ensong, Susano Erang, Romero Gido, Arsenio Jasmin, Lolita Lagrosas, Honesto Larce, Erlinda Lavandia, Bievenido Llaneda, Tokal Mokalam, Cristabel Martes;
Cipriano Niera, Irene Penuela, Jaime Pimentel, Nilo Ramirez, Visitacion Ribagorda, Ernesto Rodriguez, Amelita Saberon, Fracisca Sanopal, Vivencia Subido, Lydia Sylvanetto, Lucila Tolentino and Roy Vence.
Golfers
Golf produced a golf medal for the Philippines in the 1986 Asian Games, courtesy of Ramon Brobio, a former world junior champion. Aside from Brobio, other young golfers who have given the country honor include Dorothy Delasin, Jennifer and Gerald Rosales, Gerard Cantada, Carlito Villaroman, Tom Concon, Ruby Chico, Philip Ang, Dottie Ardina and Mary Grace Estuesta.
Since 1978, young Filipino golfers have won several world titles like the Junior World Championships in San Diego, California; the Asia Pacific Junior Golf Confederation; and the Toppolino trophy in Italy.
The country has also produced world-class golfers in the persons of Ben Arda, Celestino Tugot, Caloy Nival and Frankie Minoza, who have joined international tours in Asia, Europe and the United States.
Dorothy Delasin
Dorothy Delasin, a daughter of a Filipino couple living in Daly City, is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee, for winning three world championships (as this was being written). Delasin won the LPGA Giant Eagle Classic for two consecutive years, first in 2000 when she was only 19 and then in 2001, becoming the youngest LPGA winner in 25 years. She was the Rookie of the Year in 2000.
In October 2001, she clinched her third international title by beating the world's top 20 women players in the Samsung World Championship in Vallejo, California.
In 1999, the California Golf Writers Association named her as the Amateur Golfer of the Year for her string of victories. As an amateur, she captured the US Women's Amateur Championship, California Women's Championship and US Girls Championship. In 1993, she won the Junior World Cup held in Japan.
In 1996, she won a gold medal for the Philippines in the 1996 Southeast Asian Games and a bronze in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad. She also represented the country in the 1996 World Amateurs.
Delasin was born in Lubbock, Texas and lives with her family in Daly City, otherwise known as the "Adobo City" because of its huge Filipino population.
Ramon Brobio
Ramon Brobio gave the country a gold medal in golf at the Asian Games. He accomplished the feat in 1986 when he defeated other bets from Asian countries in men's individual golf title. Before this, Brobio became the first triple winner of the 18th junior world golf championship held in San Diego, California on July 18, 1985.
Carlito Villaroman
Carlito Villaroman holds the 15 under par record at the Boy's Class A Division of the Junior World Championship.
Jennifer Rosales
Jennifer Rosales won the US NCAA Individual Championship in 1999. She also won the US NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship held in Wisconsin on May 24, 1998. In 2002, Jennifer finished fourth at the British Open.
Gerald Rosales
Gerald Rosales, a brother of Jennifer, is a many-time champion at the Asian junior golf circuit.
Philip Ang
In July 1999, Philip Ang won the 1999 International Junior Championship (11-13 years old division title) at the Menifee Lakes Country Club in Temecula, California. He had to beat fellow Filipino Jenz Tecson and a Korean youngster to bag the title. Ang became the second Filipino to win the title after Gerard Cantada.
Dottie Ardina
In July 2002, Dottie Ardina won the 2002 Callaway Junior World golf championships - Class E division in San Diego, California.
Jayvee Agojo
In July 2002, Jayvee Agojo, a student of OB Montessori won the Temecula International Jr. Championships and the Optimist International Golf Championships in Florida.
Frankie Minoza
Frankie Minoza is a two-time Filipino Athlete of the Year awardee (1990, 1998) for his string of victories in the Asian Circuit, particularly in the lucrative Japanese PGA Tour. In May 2001, for example, he brought home some US$183,000 from the Fuji Sankei Classic in Japan. Before this, he won the Philippine Open and the Kirin Open in 1998.
In July 1998, Minoza finished 52nd at the British Open and outperformed defending champion Justin Leonard and Fred Couples. It was held at the Royal Birksdale course.
In August 1999, Minoza, ranked 56th in the world then, had the chance to play at the prestigious U.S. PGA Tour at the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, Washington. Only the world's top 64 players were invited to the event. Minoza lost his first round match to former world number 1 Nick Price and settled for US$25,000.
Minoza was born in Bukidnon province in 1960.
Ben Arda
Ben Arda was the first Filipino who qualified to play at Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia and at the British Open. He also participated in a number of World Cups in the 1960s. Arda won the Philippine Open three times during his professional career and clinched the Asia Golf Circuit overall championship in 1969. He was born in Cebu.
Angelo Que
Angelo Que placed third at the World Amateur Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2002.
Other Famous Golfers
Among other famous Filipino golfers who have participated in various international and local competitions include Gil and Cesar Ababa, Eddie Bagtas, Danilo Cabajar, Felix "Cassius" Casas, Rodrigo Cuello, Mary Grace Estueta, Antolin Fernando, Noli Kempis, Vince Lauron, Rogelio Leo, Bong Lopez, Rey Martin Luna, Mario Manubay, Caloy Nival, Robert Pactolerin, Juvic Pagunsan, Ria Denice Quiazon, Luis "Golem" Silverio, Norman Sto. Domingo, Celestino Tugot, Wilfredo Victoria, and Danny Zarate.
Chess Players
Chess has also contributed a lot to the country's winning tradition in sports. Filipinos take pride in having compatriots who became the first international master and grandmaster in Asia. In 1988, the country's top bets placed 7th in the 1988 World Chess Olympiad held in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the year 2000, the Philippine team finished 17th at the Istanbul Chess Olympiad. The Philippines has been participating in the Chess Olympiad since 1956.
Fernando Canon
Fernando Canon is considered the country's first chess champion. He won a chess tournament held in Barcelona, Spain in 1905.
Rodolfo Tan Cardoso
The first international master in Asia was Rodolfo Tan Cardoso, a Pangasinan born chess champion. Cardoso placed 5th in the world junior chess tournament in Toronto, Canada in 1957 and became the first Asian chess champion at the age of 25.
In his participation in world chess tournaments, Cardoso has defeated the likes of David Bronstein and Bobby Fischer and has drawn with former world number 1 Michael Tahl.
While Cardoso has gained a grandmaster norm, he failed to become a grandmaster.
Eugene Torre
Eugene Torre is considered as the first grandmaster in Asia. He accomplished the feat at the age of 22 and won a silver medal at the 21st World Chess Olympiad held in Nice, France in 1974 when the Philippines placed 11th overall. Torre has been a veteran of the World Chess Olympiad for three decades and led the Philippine team to a 7th place finish at the 1988 Greece Olympiad. He also has a collection of three Olympiad silver medals.
Grandmasters
Aside from Eugene Torre, the country had three other grandmasters, namely: Joey Antonio, Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, and Rosendo Balinas.
Mark Paragua
Mark Paragua placed fifth in the World Youth Chess Championships (boys' under 18) held in Crete, Greece in November 2002. Before this, Paragua became the country's youngest international master at the age of 16 in January 2000.
Glenn Bordonada
Glenn Bordonada won a gold medal in the 1978 Buenos Aires Chess Olympiad.
Rico Mascarinas
Rico Mascarinas won a gold medal in the 1982 Lucerne Chess Olympiad.
Other Chess Champions
Other Filipino chess champions include Rogelio Barcenilla Jr., Richard Bitoon, Arianne Caoili, Kathrynn Cruz, Idelfonso Datu, Joy Lomibao, Nelson Mariano, Beverly Mendoza, Allan Petronio and Roca Sayson.
Tennis Aces
Tennis has produced three gold medals for the Philippines in the Asian Games. This sports event became famous in the country because of the exploits of Felicisimo Ampon, Eddie Cruz and Alredo Diy.
Felicisimo Ampon
Felicisimo Ampon, who was only five feet tall, was once considered the best tennis player in the world, pound for pound. Ampon, dubbed as the "Mighty Mite" won the Davis Cup singles championship in 1937 and the singles title in the Pan-American championship in Mexico City in 1950. Because of this, the Filipino tennis ace was declared the first Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in the same year.
He was a gold medallist in the Far Eastern Games before the war and clinched a doubles' gold with Raymundo Deyro in the 1958 Asian Games. He nearly defeated world number 1 Frank Seigman in the quarterfinals of the French Open in May 1952.
In 1953, Ampon won the Wimbledon Plate championship, a tournament among first- and second-round losers in the Wimbledon Open.
Raymundo Deyro
Raymundo Deyro brought home two gold medals from the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. He first won a gold medal in the singles event and teamed with Felicisimo Ampon for the doubles gold. In the 1962 Jakarta Asiad, Johnny Jose took the singles gold.
Eddie Cruz
Eddie Cruz was the First Filipino to have played in prestigious international tennis events like the US Open, the Italian Open, the French Open and the Wimbledon Open.
Alfredo Diy
Alfredo Diy was considered the dean of Philippine tennis. He represented the country in the 1934 Far Eastern Games and in the 1937 International Championships.